Miliband gets same ultimatum as Shearer

by Cameron Slater on August 12, 2013 at 5:30pm

Labour UK and NZ Labour mimic each other in so many ways. Captured by unions, deeply divided, inept leadership, a history of selling honours for donations, dodgy pledge cards…similar policies…the list goes on.

Lord Mandelson should be brought back to take charge of Labour’s spin operation, Ed Miliband has been told, as MPs warned of growing unrest in the party’s ranks.

The Labour leader is said to be planning a major reshuffle of his Shadow Cabinet after a dismal summer in which a succession of senior figures have warned over the partyâ€™s falling poll ratings.

Andy Burnham, the Shadow Health Secretary, warned this weekend that Labour must â€śshout louderâ€ť and produce a compelling programme of policies by next Spring to stand any chance of winning power in 2015.Â

His comments followed attacks on the â€śconfusedâ€ť nature of Mr Milibandâ€™s leadership, while Jim Fitzpatrick, the shadow transport minister, admitted that the narrowing poll lead over the Conservatives was a cause for â€śconcernâ€ť.

The Labour leader returns from a two-week holiday in the south of France on Monday and will be urged to stamp his authority on an increasingly fractious parliamentary party.

Graham Stringer, the MP for Blackley and Broughton, criticised the shadow cabinet for their “deafening silence” during the summer and said he was “genuinely worried” about the lack of activity from Labour’s high command.